SENEDIA Young Professionals Group - Career Path Insights from Mikel's President and CTO 12/4/24
Join SENEDIA's Young Professionals Group for an exclusive webinar featuring a conversation with two leading figures in the defense industry, MIKEL President and SENEDIA Board Treasurer Kelly Mendell and MIKEL CTO Dr. Brian McKeon. This event offers an invaluable opportunity to gain firsthand insights into their career journeys, from starting out in the field to leading a prominent defense technology company.
During this interactive discussion, attendees will hear about the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned along the way. Kelly and Brian will share personal experiences, strategic decisions, and advice for young professionals aspiring to make an impact in the defense sector. This event is ideal for anyone interested in building a successful career in defense or looking for inspiration from seasoned industry experts.
Highlights:
- Career paths in the defense industry
- Key lessons from industry leaders
- Tips and advice for young professionals
- Opportunities for Q&A and networking
SPEAKERS
Kelly Mendell, President - MIKEL
Kelly Mendell, President of MIKEL, strives to create a great workplace that serves the needs of the client and the employees. Under Kelly’s guidance since 2003, MIKEL has achieved tremendous growth in the Technology and Service areas of Undersea Warfare, focusing on developing innovative underwater navigation and positioning technologies for the US Navy Submarine community. Kelly brings a strong dedication to customer service and develops solutions that are beneficial to all. The client receives the highest quality performance and results through Kelly’s commitment to dedicating the necessary resources to get the job done and by aggressively investing in employees’ training and education. “I’m always looking for employees that care about the quality of their work. It’s through them that MIKEL truly shines.”
Dr. Brian McKeon, CTO - MIKEL
In April 2024, Dr. Brian McKeon joined MIKEL as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In this role, Dr. McKeon oversees executive leadership and strategic direction for MIKEL’s core competencies in acoustic sonar technology and naval engineering design within the Undersea Navy Enterprise. Dr. McKeon brings 38 years of experience in design, strategy, and execution. He previously led the largest department at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), where he provided technical oversight for 48 major U.S. Navy programs, managing over 650 civilian employees and 250 federal contractors. In this capacity, he directed the full system life-cycle support for the development, acquisition, and modernization of U.S. undersea warfare weapons, uncrewed vehicles, and defensive systems. His work also extended to leveraging technology advancements for multi-use applications in other undersea warfare mission areas. As Chief Engineer for the Undersea Weapons Program Office, Dr. McKeon was responsible for the U.S. Navy’s Torpedo Science and Technology (S&T) and Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) initiatives. He managed key programs, including the Heavyweight Torpedo (HWT), Lightweight Torpedo (LWT), Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA), High Altitude Advanced Weapon Concept (HAAWC), and Mobile Targets, overseeing all aspects of planning, budgeting, technical management, logistics, and testing. During his tenure at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Technical Solutions, Dr. McKeon provided strategic leadership in unmanned systems, guiding the organization’s growth from 25 employees in 2018 to a 300-person team with over $80 million in sales within three years. Dr. McKeon holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and an MBA from the University of Rhode Island. He earned his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts.
ABOUT MIKEL
MIKEL invests in people and technology― empowering the creative process, building responsive relationships and propelling innovative solutions from conception to completion for the U.S. Navy.
MIKEL is a small woman owned business that has been providing Undersea Warfare Solutions to the Department of Defense since the company’s inception in 1999. Their solutions and services enable the Navy to solve their toughest problems and meet their mission requirements. MIKEL's undersea operations experience, combined with engineering and specific subject matter expertise, provides an in-depth understanding of the problem and a novel, innovative and cost-effective solution.
MIKEL is committed to providing an environment that challenges its employees to use and advance their skills and knowledge to provide solutions that exceed customer expectations.
www.MIKELInc.com
Date and Time
Wednesday Dec 4, 2024
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM EST
Location
Microsoft Teams Webinar
Register for Link
Contact Information
Timothy Fox
SENEDIA Director of Operations
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